LIME Street station was last night branded a "disgraceful eyesore" which will need millions of pounds spent on it before Liverpool's Capital of Culture year.

Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd called on Network Rail to improve the station before 2008.

He said Lime Street was particularly poor given the huge programme of investment at Manchester Piccadilly.

Cllr Dowd (Lab) told the Daily Post: "There has been more than #65m spent at Piccadilly in the run up to the Commonwealth Games and immediately afterwards.

"Well done to them, but we have had nothing in Liverpool. We would not need anywhere near #65m either. I think for around #30m-#40m we could turn Lime Street around.

"At the moment it is an eyesore and a disgrace. We really need something for Capital of Culture.

"Around 14% of visitors who come to Liverpool will arrive by train and look what they are greeted with at the moment. I will be asking Network Rail what they are doing to ensure that Liverpool gets what it needs for Capital of Culture."

Mr Dowd is all the more frustrated because he believes Lime Street has the potential to be much more accessible than many other stations.

He said: "We are a terminal station and all the platforms are coming in on the one level.

"We would not need all these bridges and walkways that you see at Manchester and Leeds just for people to get to the right platform.

"They have spent #25m on the Lime Street roof and done a cracking job on it - but what's the point in having a cowshed with a nice roof ?

"We have only got four years, remember. It is a pleasure to go to Piccadilly station these days, but even they did not finish in time for the Commonwealth Games."

At a recent meeting of Merseytravel's Rail Services committee, Cllr Dowd received all-party support for his stand.

Jacquie McKelvie (Con) said: "As well as Capital of Culture in 2008, we've got the Charter celebrations in 2007.

"And we've got the Open Championship coming to Wirral in 2006 where a lot of people will arrive in Liverpool by train. The station is a disgrace and why should we settle for second best all the time? It can't continue," she said.

Dave Mitchell (Lib Dem) said: "Capital of Culture is coming in 2008, a chance to promote the country across Europe, yet those down south don't seem to appreciate we need investment here, both at Lime Street and the West Coast line."

Liverpool's Alan Dean (Lab) feared the effect a poor station was having on business investment into the city.

Cllr Dean said: "There are no facilities for the business traveller at Lime Street.

"How are we going to attract the private sector back to Merseyside if we have nothing for them to do when they arrive here?

"Lime Street is just an appalling station."

Cllr Dowd said: "This mustn't be a sticking plaster job. They are talking about spending #12m over three or four years. That's not enough. We can't just move the ticket booking office and think that's it."

Merseytravel chief executive Neil Scales said the transfer of the station from First North Western to Network Rail would help improvements.

He said: "Unfortunately for First North Western, they only had a seven-year deal on Lime Street.

"There is no way any company in the private sector is going to make a long term financial commitment to a station they could be thrown out of in a few years."

No money available for radical facelift>>>>

No money available for radical facelift>

NETWORK Rail last night said they would not be able to finance any major redevelopment at Lime Street.

A spokesman said a number of "cosmetic" changes, including to the station toilets, were being carried out but added the money was simply not available for anything more radical.

He said: "In total around #100m was spent at Manchester Piccadilly over five years.

"But that was done under the auspices of Railtrack - who we replaced - and now the rules have changed.

"We are funded through the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) to maintain and renew the railway only as it is now. That does not include any funds to actually enhance the railway.

"Any major enhancement of Lime Street station would therefore need to be funded through a third party such as the SRA."

The SRA said it is aware of Liverpool's concerns and was waiting to see how much money government would provide this summer. Spokesman Jonti Alone said: "We operate within tight financial constraints but we are aware of the case being put for major improvements at Lime Street station.

"The Government spending review takes place this summer and we are waiting to see how much our pot will be.

"Obviously we will be arguing for more investment in rail but until we know how much we've got we cannot commit to individual projects."

Plan for a gateway into the city centre>

IT IS hoped to turn Lime Street station into a true gateway to Liverpool city centre.

The front entrance is currently via a steep flight of narrow steps leading on to a street dominated by a number of small shops.

The other entrances are basically on to side streets at Skelhorne Street and Lord Nelson Street.

City centre regeneration company Liverpool Vision is working on the gateway project, alongside Merseytravel and station owners Network Rail.

Jim Gill, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: "In terms of the way the station works, it isn't a particularly friendly or welcoming place.

"Access is quite poor, it's not particularly easy to find your way through the station and it is a fairly tight space.

"The general idea is to improve the feel of the place by having a bigger concourse area and provide better facilities for passengers."

Key to the gateway at Lime Street is the removal of the rather unsightly parade of shops on the station concourse.

Negotiations are continuing to buy up the shops in order to demolish them.

Mr Gill said: "English Partnerships are working on our behalf and have so far reached agreement over five of the 13 shops.

"Obviously we hope everything can be sorted out by negotiation - by offering appropriate compensation and support on relocation to the businesses - but if necessary we will not be afraid to use compulsory purchase powers."

The other key factor is the future of the concourse tower which has also been seen as giving a poor impression of the city.

The public sector would like to acquire the tower to demolish it.

Mr Gill said: "We have so far been unable to agree on a price with the owners.

"They have two other options really. One is to sell privately.

"The other is to do their own scheme in which case we would want to make sure their work is complementary to what we are doing."

English Partnerships has acquired the freehold to the Grade II listed former ABC cinema at the corner of Lime Street.

The building is seen as a possible catalyst to wider regeneration in the Lime Street area. A bar/restaurant, clubs and a casino have previously been suggested as uses. But Mr Gill is anxious to secure a use that is active during the daytime as well.